


Paralogue Alt: Unexpected Answers

by Mango_Moment



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, but no spoilers for anything post-timeskip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28287366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mango_Moment/pseuds/Mango_Moment
Summary: Seteth is deeply suspicious of the new professor's strange behavior, but a strange rumor reveals that things might not be the way he thinks they are...Alternate timeline where Byleth and Seteth get together during the events of the game and not after. This fic is actually about a year old, but I'm making a resolution to post more of my writing, so I may as well post it now. Not... entirely sure if I'll actually FINISH it, but you know, details. Hopefully actually posting the thing gives me more motivation to finish it.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Seteth
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. Unknown Questions

Seteth couldn’t fathom the new professor. It’s true her combat skills were quite excellent, but whenever she was around him, she seemed to be an entirely different person. He had lunch with her and Linhardt, and while at first he thought the meal was meant to double as a quick lesson, she seemed distracted for most of the meal. He asked her about it, wanting to chide her for her inattention. With the threat to Lady Rhea looming over their heads, it was hardly a time for wandering minds, and a single mistake could prove fatal to her students or to Lady Rhea. She seemed flustered by his reprimand, enough that it gave him an entirely new set of questions. 

When they first met, Byleth seemed to be a calm, collected, and capable person, but she’s grown increasingly strange in the time she’s been at the monastery. She seeks him out for training whenever possible, and invites him to eat with her and her students quite frequently as well, but whenever she’s around him she seems… off. What could it mean? Could she be frightened of him? That can’t be it, she would be avoiding him if that were the case. Could she be trying to gain his trust? He has expressed a great distrust of her... This could be her way of trying to allay his fears. But for what reason? It could just be her trying to be friendly… or there could be something more nefarious behind it. He would need more information, but he would need to move carefully. With the plot to assassinate Lady Rhea looming, he couldn’t afford a wrong step.

His first opportunity came quickly, in the form of Dorothea. She was in a quiet corner of the greenhouse, looking at a beautiful rosebush. He made his way over to her as casually as possible, hoping to make this look like a chance meeting.

“Those are quite lovely.” Seteth said, moving to stand next to her “Are they yours?”

“Oh no,” she replied cheerfully “These are the Professor’s! Aren’t they just lovely?”

“They are indeed.” He replied, bending closer to examine the flowers better. They were well cared for, it was clear Byleth had spent some funds to cultivate these. “How has she been doing lately?”

“The Professor?” asked Dorothea “She seems perfectly fine. She’s been helping me with my sword lessons. Professor Hanneman and Professor Manuela are wonderful teachers, but there’s something special about learning from someone with as much practical experience as her.”

“That’s very good.” He nodded, his voice softening slightly “I’m glad she’s been a good teacher to you all. With the Rite of Rebirth fast approaching, I was worried she might become… distracted.”

“The exact opposite, she’s been working extremely hard” Dorothea replied, shaking her head “she’s been worried about everything that’s going on, but she’s been putting that energy into helping us get stronger.”

“I’m glad to hear that you all are working hard,” replied Seteth, externally composed but internally somewhat perplexed “Continue to do your best, and keep an eye out for any danger. If you’ve seen anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to let someone know, alright?”

“I’ll keep an eye out!” replied Dorothea, her eyes gleaming “But… why are you asking about her all of a sudden? Is something wrong?”

“I want to make sure she’s holding up under pressure.” Seteth said sternly. He didn’t want her asking any further questions. “She’s new to the monastery, and this is a very serious threat, a single wrong step could result in disaster.”

“Sir, with all due respect” she replied, meeting his gaze “I know you don’t trust Professor Byleth, but in the time that I have been her student she has proven herself a capable teacher and a capable strategist. I am sure that she will see us through this with the grace and decorum she always does.”

“All I ask is that you be on your guard.” He said, turning and walking away “and stay safe.” He exited the greenhouse, leaving Dorothea standing in front of the flowers.

As he walked the grounds, he mulled over what Dorothea had told him. Her testimony contradicted the Byleth he’d been seeing these past few weeks. Perhaps she really was frightened of him, and her spending time with him was her way of trying to get over her fear? No… she doesn’t seem like the type to let fear shake her so easily. She’s got to be planning something, but if she were planning something, wouldn’t her students have noticed? Perhaps like Dorothea they were too blinded by their adoration of her to suspect her, or perhaps-

“Excuse me, Seteth.” said Edelgard “Is everything all right? You seem lost in thought.”

Perfect timing, he thought, Edelgard would be able to confirm or deny what he’d heard from Dorothea. “I was simply mulling some things over.”

“I see.” Said Edelgard “Well if there’s anything I can do to help, I would be more than happy to.”

“Yes, actually.” Seteth looked over at her, gesturing for her to follow him “Come with me to my office. I have something I want to speak with you about.”

“Yes sir.” Replied Edelgard

Once the duo reached his office, he closed the door behind them. He gestured for Ededgard to take a seat.

“I wanted to ask about Byleth.” He said as he took a seat of his own “How is she doing? She’s under a lot of stress, I want to see if she’s holding up”

“She’s an exceptional teacher.” Replied Edelgard, looking him straight in the eye “Well-trained, knowledgeable, and capable both on and off the battlefield. I couldn’t say a word against her.”

“I’ve heard she’s been working harder than usual trying to get you all prepared for the festival.” He gave as encouraging a nod as he could, “would you say that’s true?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Edelgard’s brow furrowed as she frowned “Do you suspect that Professor Byleth has been slacking in her duties?”

“I am simply worried” He replied tersely, crossing his arms “She’s new and practically untested, and this is a dangerous time. A moment of distraction could prove fatal.”

“I’ve not known the professor to be the type to get distracted.” Edelgard replied “Even in battle, she always has a clear head. Her instructions have kept me and my fellow students safe countless times.”

“But has she ever seemed… off to you?” Seteth asked

“There’s a lot about Professor Byleth that’s strange” Edelgard replied coolly “But that has not negatively impacted her teaching.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” Seteth replied, shaking his head “I want to know if you’ve ever seen her seem distracted or flustered, even for a moment.”

“Distracted or flustered…” Edelgard sat for a moment in contemplation “There was that time…”

“Go on.” Seteth leaned forward slightly

“It was on an off day, and the professor was walking by. She seemed to be upset by something, but when I asked she dodged the question.” Edelgard put a hand up to her face, still deep in thought “I thought it was odd, but she seemed fine later that day, so I put it out of my mind.

“Do you remember what day or time?” he replied “any bit of information helps.”

“It was the second weekend of this month, around noon” Said Edelgard, nodding “I remember very clearly. I was waiting for Dorothea so we could eat lunch together.”

“Did she say anything else noteworthy?” he asked “Anything that would imply what was wrong?”

“She said it was “inconsequential” and that I shouldn’t be worried” Edelgard said “I asked around to see if it could have been a problem with a student, but everyone seemed to be on their best behavior.”

“I see.” Replied Seteth “Your help is greatly appreciated. Please, come see me if you remember anything more.”

“I will.” Edelgard stood up and exited his office, leaving Seteth alone with his thoughts.

It seemed that that was the only day she let herself slip, at least in front of Edelgard. He thought back to that day. She’d come to get some training in as usual, and she’d done rather well too. She gave him some flowers, soft pink carnations he’d seen her growing in the greenhouse, they were quite pretty, so he put them on his desk. She had called the gift a thank-you, and then she invited him to tea. He had no time of course, and he told her as such. She seemed disappointed, but she quickly excused herself. Could that be what Edelgard had picked up on? It’s possible, but he doubted he was that important to her, unless whatever plot she had hinged on him… He sat stewing in his thoughts for a while, until a knock at the door disturbed him. It was Flayn.

“Hello Flayn” he said warmly “Do you need something?”

“I wanted to say hello” Said Flayn “Professor Byleth says hello too.”

“Professor Byleth?” Seteth looked over at his sister, his eyebrow raising “What did you two talk about?”

“Nothing really.” Flayn replied, taking a seat in the chair Edelgard had just left “We only talked for a bit, she did ask me what your favorite kind of flowers were, but I was not sure. She talks about you a lot.”

“Really?” replied Seteth

“Indeed. She likes you very much.” Flayn chattered “It seems like she is always asking about you, it is-“

“It is what?” replied Seteth

“It is nothing.” Said Flayn suddenly, standing up “I need to leave. I think I have forgotten something that Lady Rhea needed me to do.”

“Flayn!” said Seteth sternly “If something is the matter with Professor Byleth you should tell me immediately.”

“Sorry brother!” Flayn was out the door before he could catch her, and she took off down the hall and into the stairwell. Seteth pursued, but once he got down to the ground floor she was nowhere to be seen.

That was the last straw. Byleth could do… whatever it was she was doing to him all she wanted, but Flayn? She was off limits. He walked out into the grounds, seething with rage, she was going to pay for whatever she did to unsettle Flayn, as soon as he could find her. He checked the dining hall first, but she wasn’t there. He went towards the classrooms, perhaps she was with her students. As he passed by the small hedge-enclosed gardens that sat between the dining hall and the southern end of the house classrooms, he heard voices on the other side of the hedge.

“Did you guys hear?” said one “Professor Byleth had a crush on someone.”

“I bet it’s one of the other professors” Said a second “Hanneman specifically, she goes to his office a lot.”

“She’s researching crests, you idiot.” said a third voice “I bet it’s one of the knights, she talks to that one gatekeeper a lot.”

“You’re both wrong.” said the first one “It’s Seteth.”

“You’re kidding.” replied the second “Doesn’t he hate her guts?”

“I mean, sometimes that can be fun.” Replied the third. 

A moment of silence passed 

“What?” said the third “It’s true.”

“You’re not taking this seriously. Think about it!” said the first “She’s around him all the time on days off! Either she has a serious crush on him, or they’re totally secretly…” 

He tuned them out after that. A crush… that was something he hadn’t considered. It would explain her behavior: the gifts, the preference for him when it came to faculty instruction, the fact that she invites him to eat with her as frequently as she does… Does Flayn know the truth? Probably not, but it’s likely that she suspected that the professor has feelings for him. Her quick exit was likely to keep him from digging it out of her. He was still upset with Flayn for not being upfront about her suspicions, but Byleth was forgiven for now. He’d still have to figure out what to do with this information, but that would come later, for now he needed to focus on more important matters. He couldn’t allow gossip to derail his focus, not now.


	2. The Return

With Flayn missing, it felt like his world was crumbling around him. Flayn was the only family he had, and he was the only family she had. With her gone… it felt like a piece of him had gone with her. She’d been missing for an entire month without so much as a sign, and he was beginning to grow despondent. He’d searched everywhere. The town, the monastery, he even had knights go into the surrounding country! But there was no sign of her. Byleth had promised to bring her home safely, and while her and her students had been digging for clues, they didn’t have any concrete suspects yet. She’s been almost as pale and tense as he was the past month. She’d been trying to give him any amount of comfort she could, but without even a single clue to go on there wasn’t much comfort to be had. He hoped that she wasn’t allowing her feelings for him to cloud her judgement. He’d chide her for it, but it would likely strain things between them, and he needed all the help he could get to find Flayn.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Byleth ran into the room. “Seteth! Seteth, we found her. We found Flayn.”

“You found her?!” Seteth jumped to his feet “Where is she, how is she, is she alive?!”

“She’s alive. She was unconscious but she’s otherwise unharmed.” Byleth said, breathing heavily “She’s in the infirmary now.”

“Oh, thank the Goddess!” Seteth said, running to her and hugging her “She is safe, she is home...”

“Seteth!?” Byleth jumped, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks “Do you want to-“

“I cannot thank you enough, Byleth” Seteth said, squeezing the professor “I am so happy I could…”

Byleth looked at him, she had an odd look in her eyes. It was the same look she had when she ate with him, or when they were in the middle of training and he helped to correct her stance, or the way she held a weapon. There was no other way to describe it besides soft. She was warm, and a little sweaty, perhaps from running to get him, perhaps from whatever battle she fought to save Flayn. There was some blood on her cheek, and he could see bandages peeking out from under her armor. He had to resist the urge to clean the blood from her. It wouldn’t be appropriate to touch a subordinate that way.

“Seteth?” she said, shaking him from his thoughts

“Oh, apologies.” He let her go and backed up to a more respectful distance “I was lost in thought.”

“They’re taking Flayn to the infirmary now, and the other girl that was down there,” she said “Do you want to see her?”

“Yes, thank you professor.” He replied “Wait… other girl?”

“There was another girl down there.” Byleth said, her voice wavering “Her name is Monica, she apparently went missing last year. She’s also physically alright, but we have no idea what kind of trauma she underwent during her capture.”

“Monica…” his expression fell “Oh Goddess, we thought she ran away… We never suspected she had been kidnapped.”

“There was no way you could have known.” She said reassuringly “If her kidnapping was as flawless as Flayn’s was, it would have looked as if she’d vanished into thin air.”

“It did…” Seteth said “Goddess, if only we had figured it out sooner, Flayn would have never-“

Byleth put a hand on his shoulder “Seteth. The kidnapper was Jeritza. He knew Garreg Mach and he knew how to kidnap people without a trace. If you didn’t think she’d been kidnapped in the first place, there was no way you could have found her. You can’t find answers you don’t look for.”

“I should have known!” he snapped, turning away from Byleth “It is my job to vet staff and it is my job to keep this place safe! What does it say about me if a staff member I vetted kidnapped two girls, one of them my own sister, and you bring them home!”

“You’re human.” She replied gently “You did the best you could with the information you had. You had no evidence Monica was kidnapped, so you didn’t look for a kidnapper.”

“I should have known.” He said bitterly. Then he looked over at her, his voice and gaze softening “But thank you for reassuring me. You have done more for me today than you could ever know, Byleth, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I know she means a lot to you, as your only family” she replied “My father and I are very close, and I know I’d move mountains to save him. The most important thing I learned growing up was… you should never fight your battles alone. As mercenaries, we work together for a reason. Having people on your side you can count on is important not only in a fight, but in life as well. I know… how you feel towards me… But despite your misgivings I fully intend to stand by you as loyally as I stand by them.”

Seteth didn’t say anything for a moment, he looked at the professor, she was looking him dead in the eyes, determination written across her face. “Professor, I had some misgivings about you before, but you have proven yourself time and time again to be worthy of the position you hold and the trust you are given. I am grateful to have your loyalty, despite my earlier harshness. Though… we shall have to talk again later, I should attend to Flayn.”

“I’ll come with you.” Byleth replied “Monica is one of my students, I want to make sure that she’s recovering alright.”

The two left together, walking towards the infirmary side by side. 


End file.
